CATALOG

ULACIT: THE BEST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN CENTRAL AMERICA

FOR 7 CONSECUTIVE YEARS

FALL2019

Weston Knutson, University of Wisconsin-Stout, USA.

ULACIT COURSE OFFERING 2019BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMICS

SPRING (JAN-MAY) SUMMER (MAY-AUG) FALL (SEP-DEC)Freshman Seminar Freshman Seminar Freshman Seminar

Principles of Marketing Managerial Accounting Corporate Finance

Human Resource Management Probability and Statistics Foundation Costs and Productivity

Elements of Microeconomics Marketing Management Advanced Probability and Statistics

Financial Accounting Applied Microeconomics International Marketing

Math for Business and Economics Calculus Intercultural Communication

Managerial Skills Development Business Law Foundation International Finance

Cost Accounting E-Commerce Project Management

Managerial Decision Modeling Organizational Behavior Elements of Macroeconomics

Financial Reporting and Analysis Quantitative Methods Information Systems Management

International Business Innovation and Technology Strategic Management

Quality Management Investments

International Trade

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

SPRING (JAN-MAY) SUMMER (MAY-AUG) FALL (SEP-DEC)International Relations Theory (4)* Theory of the State International Political Economy

Environmental Sustainability and Development inLatin America

The Costa Rican Political System (4) Management of Non-Profit Organizations

International Organizations (4) International Public Law Poverty, Economics and Development in Latin America

Peaceful Conflict Negotiation and Resolution Peace and War in International Relations (4) Costa Rican Foreign Policy (4)

Latin American Literature and Society Latin American Cultural Identity Human Rights

Contemporary Latin American History Western Civilization Free Trade Agreements in Latin America and the Caribbean (4)

International Political Economy Diplomatic and Consular Law

GENERAL EDUCATION Courses available all 3 terms (Spring, Summer and Fall)

Moral Reasoning and Ethical Decision MakingGlobalization, Environment and Human Development

Argumentation and Rhetoric

Seminar: Costa Rica & World Affairs Expressions of the Human Spirit

*All International Relations and Political Science courses are 3 credits except for those that are specified otherwise next to the course name.Each ULACIT credit is equivalent to 2 ECTS (e.g. a 3-credit class at ULACIT transfers as 6 ECTS).

FRESHMAN SEMINARAre you prepared for the challenges of life in college? What are the skills you need to improve? Does it make a difference whether you know what is expected from you for this new level?

The Freshman Seminar is a course that will provide you with assistance in making the transition to the university to obtain a preview of what´s to come for upper-level courses. The purpose is to develop in all freshman students the ability to make an adequate transition to the life and demands at a university level. Furthermore, the goal is to promote the development of student´s success skills; such as reading, writing and speaking; to help you gain intellectual confidence; to build in the expectation of academic success; and to provide assistance in making the transition to college.

Upon completion of the course, you will have the ability to develop general success skills, required for successful students.

CORPORATE FINANCE

The course introduces the basic techniques for financial analysis. Among the topics covered, the student will learn about the time value of money and the net present rule, valuation of projects, risk and return, and capital budgeting taking into account the different structures of the organizations. The students will learn to include different tools and analysis used to prioritize and distribute financial resources accordingly.

COSTS AND PRODUCTIVITY

The course is designed to provide students with a clear understanding of the importance of cost structures, productivity and modern costing techniques. There will be three mayor topics covered along the course: cost accounting concepts, cost and productivity criteria and performance metrics.

The concepts and skills you will learn in this class will allow you among others to completely understand the cost taxonomy of a corporation, select the right criteria when designing cost structures and use performance score cards for assessing productivity and issue courses of action.

BUSINESSADMINISTRATIONAND ECONOMICS

ADVANCED PROBABILITY AND STATISTICSAdvanced Probability and Statistics is a course of practical application that offers the student the tools for application of the Probability and Statistics theory, which is developed for general application. In the study of this subject it is required the understanding and analysis of independent and dependent variables as well as concepts of continuity, plot and graph, derivatives and integrals of functions.

The main topics to study are: Multiple Regression, Analysis of Variance, non-parametric statistics, flow diagram, etc.

INTERNATIONAL MARKETINGThis course involves all the concepts, principles and techniques we normally associate with marketing and places them in the international context. It aims to provide a comprehensive review of the theory and practice of international marketing, providing students with a framework to analyze the international marketing environment and develop a comprehensive international marketing plan for a hypothetical or real organization considering the country of origin and country of destination of a product. The purpose of this course, therefore, is to explore the role of marketing in the overall international business context and to focus on issues of strategic / operational importance.

Dries Lemoine, PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Belgium.

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIONToday we live in a globalized world where decisions in the political, economic and social fields often affect large populations, instead of one nation or culture in particular. In addition to that, we face complex problems, without clear solution. In this context, it is important that we can communicate effectively considering multiculturalism.

The intention of the course is to broaden the understanding of intercultural communication and cultural diversity in our environment by analyzing and discussing specific and relevant topics that help us develop appropriate skills to respond adequately and develop good social and work relationships. The course invites you to interact and carry out exercises that emulate the realities of conflict resolution, teamwork and negotiation. Being able to understand, analyze and enjoy the differences that result from cultural diversity is essential for effective communication.

INTERNATIONAL FINANCEThis is a theoretical-practical course, with a specific orientation towards the field of international finances, their current importance and perspec-tives. Its goal consists in familiarizing the student with the current trends of international finances and with the main economic and financial vari-ables that link the country with the world economy. This course integrates the macroeconomic model of internal and external balance of the economy, the international finance markets and the foreign trade of the economy. It is a course of great applicability in the field of international business, since it will allow the student to analyze the exchange markets, the balance of payments and the different international financial flows worldwide.

Among the main skills the course provides are: determining exchange rates, measuring the variation of the monetary reserves of an economy, identifying the options an economic agent has to protect himself from the exchange risk, identifying the effects of the exchange policy of a country, determining the different economic policies that an economy must imple-ment to simultaneously achieve an internal balance and external liquidity volumes an economy should have.

The course expects the students to be familiar with fundamental aspects of macro and microeconomics, so that these subjects are a fundamental requisite.In this course, both theoretical and practical parts, require approximately four hours of additional after class work per week.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The course is designed to show students how to shift from the traditional operational departments into the formation of high performance teams that can develop, execute and close a project to move on with the next priority. The concepts and skills you will learn in this class will allow you among others to structure an initiative to ensure proper resource allocation, identify key players that will aid in the successful completion of a program and resolve leadership issues arising from the interaction of team members that could jeopardize the flawless execution of a project.

ELEMENTS OF MACROECONOMICSThe study of macroeconomics allows for the determination of the mechanisms impacting economic activity in certain periods of time, face the consequences and financial impact caused economic recessions, analyze economic policies that encourage economic development, and the impact of government guidelines on indicators of living standards of a certain country. The course “Elements of Macroeconomics” allows students to build relationships between macroeconomic variables such as consumption, investment, unemployment and inflation, and its impact on the economy of an economic region. Students will analyze how monetary and fiscal policies of a country have effects on key financial and economic institutions, markets and different stakeholders. In addition, students will assess the impact of macroeconomic variables such as inflation and unemployment on economic activity, These competencies will strengthen their ability to perform successfully in the business.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENTIn the world of business information is power and it is one of the most import-ant resources a company can have. A good manager does not make decisions based on his feelings, but on trustable data because he or she is responsible to keep the business running and help in its development. With the different advances in technology companies are able to collect relevant information about their actual or potential clients in order to understand or predict their needs, wants, habits or behavior.

The course is designed to show the students how information systems and technologies are applied in modern organizations and society. Students will gain an understanding of the management of IS and IT and their use by diverse individuals, groups, and organizations. By the end of the course stu-dents will be able to give proper advice about the accuracy of a management system used by a company according to the nature of its operations, as well as to make recommendations to improve its management.

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

The purpose of the Strategic Management course is to develop skills in the analysis, formulation, and implementation of a strategy in a market world. Through the course we will apply certain tools that will help the student to get a clear perspective of a company’s position and its possibilities as a competitor.

Corina Schmid, Karlshochschule International University, Germany.

INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY In this “Global Economic Policy” course, students integrate the skills acquired in the economic area of their career in a creative manner, applied to a variety of factors that constitute current international economics, in its different dimensions: national, regional, and international. Using the report logbook on global economic topics, as well as the case studies presented before a panel of peers, students study, analyze, and discuss, both in and out of class, critical areas of contemporary international economic policy, applying concepts to cases and phenomena that model international reality. Furthermore, by producing an opinion article, they develop their argumentative and critical abilities, while they assess the pertinence of their peers’ analysis, and even dissenting with them and the professor, while offering alternate and relevant approaches.

This course is foundational for shaping professionals in international relations, since it enables the student to develop analysis and research skills, in order to provide consulting to individuals, organizations, corporations, and governments, regarding the evolution, current relevance, and perspectives of global economic policy, with the purpose of promoting stability and developing international economic relations.

MANAGEMENT OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONSIn this course students develop the necessary skills to manage nonprofit organizations, aiming to fulfill their reason for existence, their mission. Professionals in International Relations must be equipped to be part of these organizations, whether in positions of leadership, or as specialists and consultants. They must possess detailed knowledge of the main aspects for its successful operation. Throughout the course, students will carry out a series of activities to prepare them to lead and be part of the highest levels of these organizations. This is achieved through group discussion, a reflection blog, and by creating and defending the profile of a project seeking funding from a donor, according to the rules for development with effective cooperation. Furthermore, by means of the research report, they will analyze the best practices for fulfilling the mission of nonprofits, by studying this type of organization, at a national or regional level.

Thus, for the future professionals in International Relations, this course not only provides the knowledge of the key components to successfully manage a nonprofit organization, in the midst of today’s challenges for international cooperation for development, but also hones their skills in preparing project proposals requiring funding, as well as assessing the performance of these entities, both nationally and regionally.

INTERNATIONAL

ANDRELATIONS

POVERTY, ECONOMICS AND DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICAIn this course students develop the necessary skills to manage nonprofit organizations, aiming to fulfill their reason for existence, their mission. Professionals in International Relations must be equipped to be part of these organizations, whether in positions of leadership, or as specialists and consultants. They must possess detailed knowledge of the main aspects for its successful operation. Throughout the course, students will carry out a series of activities to prepare them to lead and be part of the highest levels of these organizations. This is achieved through group discussion, a reflection blog, and by creating and defending the profile of a project seeking funding from a donor, according to the rules for development with effective cooperation. Furthermore, by means of the research report, they will analyze the best practices for fulfilling the mission of nonprofits, by studying this type of organization, at a national or regional level.

Thus, for the future professionals in International Relations, this course not only provides the knowledge of the key components to successfully manage a nonprofit organization, in the midst of today’s challenges for international cooperation for development, but also hones their skills in preparing project proposals requiring funding, as well as assessing the performance of these entities, both nationally and regionally.

FREE TRADE AGREEMENTSIn the context of a globalized world, free trade is fundamental mechanism for governments to promote the development of their country. Furthermore, it is a global trend that does not seems to decrease. This course allows the student to promote global free trade from the comprehensive understanding of the role and impact of regional trade agreements on industries and communities across the globe; the legal and political mechanisms involved in this practice, the different dynamics of regional integration, different mechanism and negotiation practices. In the course the student develops the competence to analyze and advise decision makers and to become a decision maker that promotes free trade in general and especially in the region while understanding the different implications of the decisions that are taken.

DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR LAWIn this course students develop the ability to operate diplomatic and consular law adequately, according to international standards and regulations. This is achieved through the understanding of the historical evolution and main characteristics of diplomatic and consular law, as well as their most relevant international regulations. Students develop the necessary skills to be good operators of diplomatic and consular law, by means of case analysis during each class, as well as the learning experience from an internship with a specialized entity, in which they keep a logbook. Furthermore, through research and a final case analysis, students develop scientific research abilities, as well as oral and written argumentation for substantiating and defending their particular viewpoints regarding specific issues of the current international system. An international relations professional must be able to analyze and adequately apply international regulations pertaining to diplomatic and consular law, as good analysts, consultants, and decision makers, whether in normal or conflict situations.

POLITICAL SCIENCE

COSTA RICA FOREIGN POLICYThis course allows students to analyze the meaning and evolution of the Foreign Policy of Costa Rica and its projection in the current circumstances. It also aims to develop the ability to distinguish, analyze and propose guidelines for national foreign policy, considering its fundamental principles, based on the interpretation its historical development and current challenges of international order. “Costa Rican Foreign Policy” provides ample opportunities to students to support critical arguments about the evolution of the national foreign policy and project recommendations and scenarios for future developments, in order to contribute to the proper development of our foreign policy according to its values and guiding principles.

HUMAN RIGHTSThe course helps students handle human rights adequately in order to assist, research, and decide regarding violations of such rights within the framework of international relations. The aim is to promote and strengthen harmony, stability, and peace in the world. With the teacher’s guidance, students are able to adequately apply the concepts and standard framework of International Law for Human Rights, in emblematic jurisprudence of various international tribunals. Through the presentation and discussion of jurisprudence, as well as the presentation and defense of resolved final cases, students develop not only their oral argumentative abilities, but also the skills necessary to maintain and defend their viewpoints, based on what they learned in the course. Furthermore, through the analysis of the final case, students apply the skill set learned throughout the course in a comprehensive manner, specifically to a violation of human rights on the international stage in this case. Likewise, through the systematizing video on resolving final cases, students practice novel and creative ways to communicate the results of their group discussions and decisions, whether to their same group, the University, or the general public. This course enables students not only to develop a necessary sensitivity to the main challenges for the effective fulfillment of Human Rights, but also the required skills to apply them to complex cases on an international setting. Hence, the foundational importance of a comprehensive training of professionals in International Relations.

Tamarindo Beach, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

EXPRESSIONS OF THE HUMAN SPIRITThis “Expressions of the Human Spirit” course aims to develop the student’s esthetic response capability, as well as their ability to interpret various forms of cultural expression, by studying painting, sculpture, architecture, theater, music, cinema, and dance. The course offers multiple opportunities to learn about artistic movements of different eras and places, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students are expected to get involved intelligently and critically in the world of art and ideas, by using esthetic reasoning. The course includes visits to exhibits, scene showings, interaction with artists, directors, or curators, and requires students to perform creatively.

GLOBALIZATION, ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENTThis course allows students to recognize basic concepts to better understand and analyze the relations between human development and it´s social and natural environments, making special emphasis on the role geography and culture play on the economic and sociopolitical events that shape globalization.

Students will learn about the social, environmental, political and economic characteristics of the world’s regions and will investigate and report on the geographic, demographic, cultural, political, social and environmental characteristics that shape globalization processes in order to better understand and analyze global challenges. In order to be a responsible and informed citizen of the world it is fundamental to distinguish the diverse forms in which humanity organizes it´s political, social and economic relations and how this shapes the interactions between individuals as well as between society and it´s natural environment. It´s expected that at the end of the course students will discern between key concepts regarding globalization trends and apply them correctly at an academic and professional level.

EDUCATIONGENERAL

MORAL REASONING AND ETHICAL DECISION MAKINGLeaders who are able to serve the world in this century take into account the various ethical standards when faced with the dilemmas and problems that arise from human experience, in order to make decisions. This course offers students the opportunity to reason systematically about moral convictions, as well as exploring and evaluating ethics-related arguments. Students examine the diverse concepts and theories of ethical principles, such as living the good life, obligations, rights, justice, and freedom, with a focus on developing the ability to weigh reasons in order to adopt them or not, regarding the specific ethical dilemmas of daily life. The course also aims to confront students with different value systems from their own, so as to create an awareness about their own ethical assumptions.

Jolien Wyuts, PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Belgium.

SEMINAR: COSTA RICA AND WORLD AFFAIRSThis course aims to increase the students’ ability to act with civic responsibility and efficacy when faced with national challenges that result from global problems and dilemmas, by means of applied research. Also, students must study the selected problem in its geopolitical, social, economic, cultural, and environmental contexts, comparing it with other regions of the world, and write a research document. This research work implies gathering, analyzing, and generating conclusions from data, using the research techniques learned in the Statistical Reasoning and Qualitative Research courses, as well as the logic, esthetic, and moral reasoning developed throughout the career. At the end of the course, students present their findings and proposals orally, in five minutes. The presentations are taped and shared with all the students during the last two weeks of the course, and on the University’s webpage.

ARGUMENTATION AND RHETORICIf we can know our lineage and vulnerabilities, as well as the origins of our temper, beliefs and behaviours, we will be more capable of recognising the sources of our own prejudices. Closed and fixed postures interfere with our possibilities to recognise the truth, adapt to change use logic to solve problems and make good decisions. On the other hand, we cannot persuade others to influence their behaviour or to modify their way of thinking without understanding why are they the way they are.

The course aims to become a sort of antidote against false beliefs, fanaticism, hatred and discriminating attitudes, but it also seeks to offer multiple opportunities so that students learn to argument and persuade properly, both in an oral and written form. By the end of the course students should identify the types of issues that may arise, and the type of arguments needed for each one of them. They will know how to build coherent arguments, using logical inferences free from fallacies. They will be able to lean on evidence, citing correctly diverse and trustful sources of information. Finally, they will know how to use rhetorical and stylistic elements in their discourse, non-verbal language in oral expressions and basic principles when designing presentations.

Dominical Beach, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología (ULACIT)Email: studyabroad@ulacit.ac.cr

Phone: 506-2523-4000Address: 125 metros sur del Periódico La República. Barrio Tournón.

San José, Costa Rica Postal Code 1000- San JoséPO BOX: 10235-1000

Office hours to reach all contacts: 9:30am to 6:30pm(Costa Rica time)

All of the pictures were taken by our students during their experience in Costa Rica with ULACIT.